Color Theory

What is Color Theory?

• A body of practical guidance to color mixing

• The visual impact of specific color combinations

The Color Wheel

The Color Wheel• Sir Isaac Newton developed first color wheel

in 1666 • Based on primary colors: Red, Yellow, Blue• Logically arranged sequence of pure hues

Basic Color Types

• Primary Colors

• Secondary Colors

• Tertiary Colors

Primary Colors• Red, Blue, and Yellow are the only

primary colors

• These colors make up all others

• No color(s) mixed together can make these.

Secondary Colors• Violet, Green, and

Orange• Two primary colors

mixed together

Color #1 Color #2 Secondary Color

red blue VIOLET

blue yellow GREEN

yellow red ORANGE

Tertiary Colors

• One primary color mixed with a related secondary color.

Color #1 Color #2 Tertiary Color

red orange RED-ORANGE

red violet RED-VIOLET

yellow orange YELLOW-ORANGE

yellow green YELLOW-GREEN

blue green BLUE-GREEN

blue violet BLUE-VIOLET

Complementary Colors

• Complementary Colors

• Split Complementary Colors

• Double Complementary Colors

• Analogous or Harmonious Colors

Complementary Colors

• Two colors directly across from each other on the color wheel

• Represents the strongest contrasts of color

• When mixed together, they neutralize one another and form gray

Split Complementary

Colors

• One color and two colors directly across from it on the color wheel.

Double Complementary

Colors

• Two colors plus two colors directly across from them on the color wheel.

Analogous or Harmonious Colors

• Three to four colors next to each other on the color wheel

• Often have a hue in common that makes them harmonious.

Color Effects

• Warm Colors

• Cool Colors

Warm Colors

• Tend to advance from a picture plane

• Are related to fire, heat, highlights

• Express feelings of warmth, action, even anger

Cool Colors

• Tend to recede in a picture plane

• Are related to shadows

• Express feelings of calm, crispness, even sadness, jealousy, and peace

Colors and Neutrals

• Neutrals: WHITE, BLACK, and GRAY

• Tint: A hue (color) plus white.

• Tone: A hue plus grey.

• Shade: A hue plus black.

• Monochromatic: One color plus black and white to create all the range of that color.

Three Properties of Color

• Hue

• Value

(Lightness)

• Saturation

Hue

• The name of the pure spectrum color

Value• the degree of

lightness or darkness of a color

Saturation• The brightness

(intensity) or dullness of a color

• A saturation level of zero means white or gray